New York Democrats rally around legislator for House special election, but a primary challenge looms

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Jeff Singer

Democratic leaders in the Buffalo area voted Thursday to select New York state Sen. Tim Kennedy as their nominee in the as-yet-unscheduled special election to replace Rep. Brian Higgins, a Democrat who has said he'll resign in the first week of February to lead a local cultural center. But while Kennedy is on a glide path to succeed Higgins in the 26th Congressional District, which favored Joe Biden 61-37 in 2020, he's likely to face a familiar name in the June 25 primary for a full term.

Former Grand Island Town Supervisor Nate McMurray, who twice came unexpectedly close to flipping the now-defunct 27th District, announced Tuesday that he'd run for the constituency that Higgins is giving up. McMurray, who has a fraught relationship with local party insiders, acknowledged to the Buffalo News that there was little chance they'd select him as the party's standard-bearer. (There are no primaries in New York special elections.)

However, McMurray also told the paper he plans to keep campaigning through the summer primary. "Do I think it will be a quick thing? No," he said. "I think it’s going to be a fight and a struggle." The former supervisor, though, argued he felt compelled to run because of the danger Donald Trump poses to American democracy. "I think the people in Western New York know, if we have another insurrection, they’re going to want Nate McMurray in the room when it happens," he said.

McMurray also took Kennedy to task for opposing abortion rights earlier in his career. "I was pro-abortion in the middle of the reddest district in New York State," said McMurray, “but I am somehow blasphemous because I want to have open discussions and open debate about the future of the community." Kennedy made news in 2014 when he announced that his positions had "evolved," a shift that NARAL Pro-Choice New York praised as "wonderful."

Both Kennedy and McMurray have experience competing in tough races, though the former has enjoyed considerably more success. Kennedy, a longtime Higgins ally, earned an appointment to the Erie County Legislature in 2004, where he joined a bipartisan coalition that backed Republican County Executive Chris Collins. But Kennedy campaigned from the left in 2010 when he waged a primary challenge to state Sen. William Stachowski, a 28-year incumbent who opposed a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriage.

Kennedy won in a 63-26 landslide, but he faced a difficult general election battle against both Republican Assemblyman Jack Quinn and Stachowski, who continued to run as the nominee of the Independence Party. Kennedy, however, had the support of the Conservative Party, which usually supports Republicans (candidates in New York can accept multiple parties' nominations), and its backing helped him win a tight contest despite that year's GOP wave.

Kennedy wound up turning back Quinn 47-45, with the balance going to Stachowski. The following year, Kennedy voted for a successful bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the Empire State and said wouldn't seek the Conservative Party's nomination to avoid putting it in a "touchy situation."

Kennedy never again had to worry about a competitive general election, but he had to fight to win his primary in 2012 against Erie County Legislature Minority Leader Betty Jean Grant. Grant, whose longtime antipathy toward Kennedy was reciprocal, went after him for his old alliance with Collins, the Republican county leader. The seat, which was redrawn after the 2010 census, also was home to a large Black electorate, which was a factor in the contest between the white incumbent and his Black challenger. After Kennedy won the primary 50.3-49.7―a margin of just 156 votes―Grant soon made it clear she'd seek a rematch.

Their 2014 battle was an expensive and closely watched affair. Grant, who was close to Erie County Democratic Chair Jeremy Zellner, also had the support of the Independent Democratic Conference, a breakaway faction that allowed the Republican minority to remain in control of the state Senate—an ironic state of affairs given her attacks on Kennedy for his cooperation with Collins. Kennedy, though, prevailed 60-40, and he never again faced a serious threat.

McMurray emerged on the national political scene a few years later, when he challenged Collins in 2018. The Republican, who had lost reelection as executive in 2011 to Democrat Mark Poloncarz, had bounced back the following year by unseating future Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 27th Congressional District, and he appeared secure in a seat that had favored Donald Trump 60-35 in 2016.

But Collins' grasp on New York's reddest House seat was threatened after he was accused of insider trading and grew weaker still after he was indicted just months before the 2018 election. McMurray ran a strong campaign against the scandal-tarred congressman, but Collins held on 49.1-48.7 after he ran a xenophobic campaign ad showing footage of the Democrat speaking Korean.

Collins, however, resigned the following year as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, prompting a special election in June of 2020. The GOP selected Chris Jacobs as its nominee, but despite lacking Collins' taint, he beat McMurray by an underwhelming 51-46 margin. Their November rematch, though, ended with a 60-39 victory for Jacobs as Trump was taking his district 57-41. Collins, meanwhile, soon received a pardon from Trump after serving just two months of what was supposed to be a 26-month prison sentence.

McMurray announced in January of 2023 that he'd challenge Poloncarz in that year's primary for county executive, but he dropped out the following month. The former supervisor published a series of tweets charging that "the party machine" had made "a legitimate primary (from someone like me) nearly impossible." He made it clear this week his opposition to local insiders would be a centerpiece of his newest effort.

Just over 10% of the 26th's denizens live within the boundaries of the old 27th, but the district could soon be transformed. New York's highest court recently ordered the state's bipartisan redistricting commission to draw a new congressional map, but several steps remain before a new map can be finalized. However, the special election to replace Higgins will take place under the current district lines, which were used in 2022.

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Hunter Biden lawyers say they will ‘comply for a hearing or deposition’ if House panels issue new subpoena

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell told the House Oversight and House Judiciary Committees on Friday that if a new subpoena is issued under the "duly authorized impeachment inquiry," the first son "will comply for a hearing or deposition."

The House Oversight and Judiciary Committees this week formally recommended to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress, after he defied congressional subpoenas for a closed-door deposition as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER HUNTER BIDEN CONTEMPT RESOLUTIONS NEXT WEEK, SETTING UP FLOOR VOTE

But Lowell penned a letter to the committees on Friday, saying the initial subpoenas were "legally invalid" as they were issued before the full House of Representatives voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry against the president.

"If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition," Lowell wrote. "We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden's behalf."

Lowell's offer comes ahead of a House Rules Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16, where lawmakers will prepare a contempt of Congress resolution. Once prepared, it will set up a full floor vote on whether to recommend the first son for prosecution on the matter.

Sources told Fox News Digital a full House vote on the matter could come as early as Wednesday.

Lowell, in a footnote, states that "Rep. Glenn Ivey suggested a procedure for a hybrid process-a public deposition; hearing with alternating rounds of questions for Republicans and Democrats, and with similar rules (e.g., role of counsel in questioning), as is done in a closed-door deposition."

HOUSE COMMITTEES FORMALLY RECOMMEND TO HOLD HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS

"Four Republicans actually voted in committee in support of this process," the footnote states. "Perhaps that could be the basis for our discussion."

Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance at the House Oversight Committee markup with his attorneys Abbe Lowell and Kevin Morris. Biden and his attorneys ultimately left the markup session before the vote on the resolution.

Hunter Biden, ahead of his subpoenaed deposition on Dec. 13, had offered to testify publicly. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, rejected his request, stressing that the first son would not have special treatment and pointed to the dozens of other witnesses who have appeared, as compelled, for their interviews and depositions. Comer and Jordan vowed to release the transcript of Hunter Biden’s deposition.

The first son, though, defied the subpoena, ignored the offer and delivered a public statement outside the Capitol. At the time, he said his father "was not financially involved in my business."

Comer said Wednesday that Hunter Biden "blantantly defied two lawful subpoenas."

Comer said "Hunter Biden’s willful refusal to comply with the committees’ subpoenas is a criminal act" that "constitutes contempt of Congress and warrants referral to the appropriate United States Attorney’s Office for prosecution as prescribed by law."

HOUSE GOP SAYS HUNTER BIDEN ‘VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW' BY DEFYING SUBPOENA, PREPARE CONTEMPT RESOLUTION

"We will not provide Hunter Biden with special treatment because of his last name," Comer said. "All Americans must be treated equally under the law. And that includes the Bidens."

Lowell's offer also comes after Hunter Biden on Thursday pleaded not guilty to all federal tax charges stemming from Special Counsel David Weiss's investigation. Hunter Biden also pleaded not guilty in September to all federal gun charges from Weiss' probe.

Meanwhile, the White House refused to answer questions on whether it was told in advance that Hunter Biden would attend the House Oversight's markup session on Wednesday.

"So here's what I'll say. And I've said this many times before: Hunter, as you all know, as a private citizen, he's not a member of this White House," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "He makes his own decisions, like he did today about how to respond to Congress."

She went on to refer "any further questions, any additional questions about this process" to Hunter Biden’s attorneys.

When pressed again on whether the White House was informed in advance, Jean-Pierre said, "I don’t have anything — we don’t have anything else to share beyond that."

Last month, Comer and Jordan expanded their investigation to probe whether President Biden was involved in his son's "scheme" to defy his subpoena for deposition, which, they say, "could constitute an impeachable offense."

Caribbean Matters: The severe impact of climate change on the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Denise Oliver Velez

While many media outlets only seem to pay attention to the U.S. Virgin Islands these days when discussing Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous private island of Little St. James and Puerto Rico when it comes to Bad Bunny concerts, it is important that we take note of the reality that both U.S. colonies in the Caribbean are on the front lines of climate change.

The islands have been hit with scorching, record-breaking heat over the past summer, drought, flooding, erosion of the coastlines, damage to coral reefs, and waves of foul-smelling seaweed called sargassum. Climate change greatly affects the health and safety of those who live in the areas, not to mention the economic impact.

Caribbean Matters is a weekly series from Daily Kos. If you are unfamiliar with the region, check out Caribbean Matters: Getting to know the countries of the Caribbean.

When discussing the impact of climate change on the daily lives of Puerto Rican and Virgin islanders, one aspect that I don’t often see mentioned are the are health-related impacts, both mental and physical. Writer, reporter, photographer, and producer Pearl Marvell published this report for Yale Climate Connections about the damage extreme weather does to areas already impacted by colonization and systemic inequality:

Puerto Rico has seen an alarming increase in deaths over the last two years caused by cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and mental health conditions like overdose, alcoholism, and dementia. There are a number of reasons for this, but the Fifth National Climate Assessment released last month warned that more intense and frequent hurricanes and other extreme weather events caused by climate change will likely bring more illness, higher mortality, and an overall decrease in quality of life to citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Perhaps we are among the least responsible for climate change, but we are being among the most impacted,” said Pablo Méndez-Lázaro, one of the lead researchers of the chapter.

[...]

The 32-chapter national assessment, which will be published in Spanish in the coming months, is filled with information on the effects of climate change and potential solutions in the United States. This is the first assessment to fully assess the devastating effects of Hurricanes Maria and Irma on the islands in 2017. Chapter 23 focuses on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, examining the climate crisis in the context of the sociological, psychological, and historical situation of this region. It paints a more nuanced and complex picture than the fourth assessment in 2018, which focused on the effects of climate change on rainfall, coastal systems, and rising temperatures.

Back in 2016, the federal Environmental Protection Agency published this fact sheet on the USVI and climate change. It covered issues such as ocean warming and sea level rise, coral reef damage and ocean acidification, storm impact on homes and infrastructure, the shrinking of forests, and interference in agriculture productivity which could affect food supplies. We have seen the EPA’s predictions for human health impact come to pass:

Hot days can be unhealthy—even dangerous. Certain people are especially vulnerable, including children, the elderly, the sick, and the poor. Rising temperatures will increase the frequency of hot days and warm nights. High air temperatures can cause heat stroke and dehydration and affect people’s cardiovascular and nervous systems. Warm nights are especially dangerous because they prevent the human body from cooling after a hot day. Although reliable long-term temperature records for the U.S. Virgin Islands are unavailable, the frequency of warm nights in nearby Puerto Rico has increased by about 50 percent since 1950.

The U.S. Virgin Islands’ climate is suitable for mosquito species that carry diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever. While the transmission of disease depends on a variety of conditions, higher air temperatures are likely to accelerate the mosquito life cycle and the rate at which viruses replicate in mosquitoes.

The warm marine environment of the Virgin Islands helps promote some water-related illnesses: Vibriosis is a bacterial infection that can come from direct contact with contaminated water or eating infected shellfish. Ciguatera poisoning comes from eating fish that contain a toxic substance produced by a type of algae found in this area. Higher water temperatures can increase the growth of these bacteria and algae, which may increase the risk of these associated illnesses.

Far too many mainlanders not of Puerto Rican or Virgin Islands ancestry only think of the islands as a tourist destination. The USVI economy is far more dependent on tourism than Puerto Rico’s. Tourism and related economic areas in USVI account for more than half of its GDP, whereas in Puerto Rico it is far less, according to data from the Financial Oversight Board:

While Puerto Rico’s tropical climate, sandy beaches and thriving culture attract close to a million visitors each year, tourism is not a leader when it comes to economic activity on the island. Despite a popular belief that tourism is a significant contributor, this industry only represents about 2% of the island’s GDP. That share has grown 1% over the last 5 years, which is significantly less than the 15% growth reported within the industry during the same period in the mainland United States.

The USVI, however, winds up being caught between a rock and a hard place. Island leaders and residents promote tourism for economic survival while at the same time attempting to mitigate its environmental harm. Shannon Garrido wrote for Pasquines:

It took the United States government an entire decade to grant the largely African-descended population American citizenship. US Virgin Islanders have remained unable to elect the President of the United States or have a voting delegate in Congress. Needless to say, residents have little to no power in dictating the United States’ use of their land, and upon the turn of the 20th century, this has had significant environmental effects.

The island of St. John is home to the 29th US National Park and was founded by Laurance S. Rockefeller, grandson of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. As a result, exploitation and protection for the enjoyment of wealthy and white visitors are at the expense of the island and its native inhabitants.

This unsustainable trend continues, and the USVI is facing environmental pressures from increased tourism that threaten vital natural resources. This type of development impacts the environment in multiple ways, especially through sediment pollution, increased demand for sewage treatments, and direct ecosystem damage from an increased number of tourists.

This news report from TRT World details many of the current climate issues, especially threats to the coral reefs:

As the US Virgin Islands continue their long recovery from the devastation caused by the 2017 hurricanes, there's increasing concern about the possible impact of climate change. Experts fear that global warming is not only increasing the intensity of hurricanes in the region but is also having an adverse affect on the islands' marine life.

YouTube Video

Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, the non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the USVI, was interviewed briefly in the report. While many Americans got their first look at her when she served as a floor manager for former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial, it’s important to point out that she has not ignored climate change as a major issue for the people she represents.

Here’s her brief floor speech on climate change from Sept. 26, 2019:

YouTube Video

Mr. Speaker, this week, the United Nations is hosting its Climate Action Summit. Robust funding and sound policies are needed to ensure we effectively combat climate change. Threatened by increasingly more frequent and extreme changes in our climate, territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands stand at the front line of this quickly escalating climate crisis.

Within the past decade, my district has reduced fossil fuel use by 20% and has become a regional leader in clean energy. States and territories have also passed regional and state-specific legislation to combat climate change, but we need a comprehensive, forward-looking national plan to address this threat to our children and our children's children.

While we don't yet have all the tools to address rapid climate change, we must create them through increased Federal investment in research, development, and deployment of emerging technologies. Across the nation, climate change is threatening our economy and our lives. Hurricanes like Irma and Maria collectively cost $140 billion, according to NOAA, and, most importantly, they cost thousands of lives. America must lead the charge to preserve our planet.

Fast forward to July 24, 2023, when Plaskett shared this statement on the inclusion of the USVI in the government’s seasonal drought outlook:

“My office successfully worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include the Virgin Islands in the U.S. Drought Monitor in 2019, which provides a general summary of current drought conditions and provides access to permanent disaster relief programs related to drought. As a result of the new inclusion in the CPC Drought Outlooks, our farmers will now have access to additional resources that can assist with their planning and preparation for adverse conditions, as well as their maximization of expected favorable conditions. The Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency alongside environmental monitoring volunteers, the farming community, the University of the Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Drought Coordinator, Christina Chanes, worked in partnership to collect, compile, and analyze data on precipitation and particulate matter. This community-wide effort played an instrumental role in the Climate Prediction Center’s decision to include the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Operational Drought Outlooks.

“Given the immense impact of weather on agriculture, skillful weather forecasts provided by CPC Drought Outlooks are of tremendous importance to farmers for effective decision making on critical matters, including which crops are most likely to flourish in the predicted growing season, how much of each crop to grow, whether to irrigate, the timing of planting and harvesting and whether to purchase crop insurance.

“This is a critical and timely development for the agricultural community in our territory. It is my hope that the data and resources provided by the Drought Outlooks will be a well-utilized resource by our local farmers and those in the Virgin Islands agriculture sector.”

My question about this is: Why was the USVI not included until 2019, and only in the monthly outlook in 2023?

There are efforts underway in the USVI to preserve and replenish the coral reef system. This video from the Nature Conservancy documents them:

YouTube Video

While I think many people have the impression that climate change is only a concern for those who dub themselves “climate activists,” it’s an issue that most Puerto Ricans worry about. Politicians running for office in Puerto Rico and in mainland areas with large Puerto Rican communities should take note of this recent report from the Yale School of the Environment:

Residents of Puerto Rico are among the most worried in the world about climate change according to a new study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC).

The study, conducted in partnership with Rare and Data for Good at Meta, found that 93% of Puerto Ricans said they are “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about climate change; 84% said climate change will harm future generations “a great deal”; and 61% said climate change will harm them personally “a great deal.” Puerto Rico also had the highest number of respondents in the world who believe that climate change should be a high government priority.

Republican climate change deniers, listed in this opinion piece by Glenn C. Altschuler in The Hill, will hopefully be turning off mainland Puerto Rican voters in the next election as a result:

Not one Republican in Congress voted for the Biden administration’s bill to combat climate change. The percentage of rank-and-file Republicans who think global warming is caused by human activity has declined over the last two decades. These days, 70 percent of Republicans say climate change is a minor threat or no threat at all.

Democrats running for office should take note.

Please join me in the comments section below for more on Caribbean climate change issues and for the weekly Caribbean news roundup.

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Will Utah Republicans nominate another Mitt Romney—or another Mike Lee?

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Jeff Singer

Candidate filing closed Monday in Utah, and the state has a list of contenders here. However, hopefuls have a lot of work to do first to ensure they're even on the June 25 primary ballot.

The Beehive State allows candidates to advance to the primary either by collecting signatures or by taking more than 40% of the vote at a party's convention, though they're allowed to try both methods. None of the candidates we discuss below, however, are pursuing the signatures-only option. Both Democrats and Republicans will hold their respective conventions on April 27.

• UT-Sen: The Republican contest to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Mitt Romney will be the most closely watched affair in the state this year, with 11 candidates competing for the nomination. The early frontrunners appear to be Rep. John Curtis and former state House Speaker Brad Wilson, and they're each planning to both gather petitions and take part in the convention. (Candidates must reveal their intentions when they file by checking off one of three boxes.)

But a few other notable Republicans are also in the hunt. Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs was campaigning against Romney from the right before the incumbent decided to retire, though he's struggled to raise money. Meanwhile, conservative activist Carolyn Phippen and attorney Brent Hatch, who is the son of the late Sen. Orrin Hatch, both launched campaigns following Romney's retirement announcement. All three are competing at the convention, while Hatch is the only one of this trio who is also collecting signatures.

The biggest question looming over the race is whether Republicans nominate a candidate in the mold of Romney or someone more like the state's other senator, the far-right Mike Lee. Curtis, a one-time Democrat who at times has criticized GOP extremists and called for protecting the environment, comes closest in temperament to the outgoing incumbent. Staggs and Phippen, by contrast, would fit in with election deniers like Ted Cruz and Rick Scott. (Phippen herself is a former Lee aide.)

Wilson, who is self-funding much of his campaign, might be somewhere in between. The former speaker oversaw the passage of anti-abortion legislation, but he also helped stop the legislature from formally rebuking Romney in 2020 for his vote to convict Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial. Hatch, who doesn't have a record in public office, is more of a blank slate, though he does serve as treasurer of the hardline Federalist Society.

Democrats haven't held a Senate seat in Utah since Frank Moss left office following his 1976 loss against Hatch, and both parties are focusing their efforts on more competitive states. But Democrats did land a candidate with an unusual background shortly before filing closed when Caroline Gleich, a professional ski mountaineer who summited Mount Everest in 2019, entered the race.

• UT-Gov: Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, who is one of the party's few prominent Trump skeptics still in elected office anywhere in the country, faces notable intra-party opposition on his right from both state Rep. Phil Lyman and former state party chair Carson Jorgensen. All three are taking part in the convention, though only Cox and Lyman are also gathering signatures. Two little-known Republicans have also filed.

The only Democrat in the race is state Rep. Brian King, who finished an eight-year stint as minority leader in early 2023. The last Democrat to win this office was Scott Matheson in 1980.

• UT-02: Republican Rep. Celeste Maloy won a November special election to replace her old boss, former Rep. Chris Stewart, but now she faces two intra-party foes in her first reelection campaign: Green Beret veteran Colby Jenkins and perennial candidate Ty Jensen. As she did in the special, Maloy is depending on party delegates to place her on the ballot, while Jenkins and Jensen are trying both the convention and signature routes. Donald Trump carried this district 57-40 in 2020, while Maloy prevailed 57-34 in last year's general election.

• UT-03: Rep. John Curtis announced he would run for the Senate less than a week before candidate filing closed, but 10 fellow Republicans have stepped forward to replace him. This constituency, which includes Provo, southeastern Salt Lake City, and the rural southeastern part of the state, favored Donald Trump 57-38 in 2020.

All of the Republicans who filed plan to compete at the convention, and the following seven will also gather petitions:

Roosevelt Mayor Rod Bird
Perennial candidate Lucky Bovo
Former Senate aide Kathryn Dahlin
State Auditor John Dougall
Some Dude Clayton Hunsaker
Businessman Case Lawrence
Former state party chair Stewart Peay

The three who are only going with the convention route are former state Rep. Chris Herrod, state Sen. Mike Kennedy, and Utah Young Republicans chairman Zac Wilson.

Herrod unsuccessfully campaigned against Curtis three times: in the 2017 special election, in 2018, and again in 2022. The former state representative outpaced the congressman, who did not collect signatures in 2022, 55-45 in their most recent convention matchup, which put him close to knocking Curtis out of contention. The congressman, however, went on to prevail 70-30 in the primary.

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House Rules Committee to consider Hunter Biden contempt resolutions next week, setting up floor vote

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

The House Rules Committee will consider the resolutions that would hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress, setting up the potential for a full vote on the House floor as early as next week on whether to recommend the first son for prosecution.

The House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee passed resolutions to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden on Wednesday.

The vote by the House Judiciary Committee was 23-14. The House Oversight Committee vote was 25-21.

HOUSE COMMITTEES FORMALLY RECOMMEND TO HOLD HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS

The resolutions are now set to be considered by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday January 16 at 4 p.m. The panel will set the terms for the floor debate and prepare the resolution.

It is unclear, at this point, whether each committee's resolution will be considered on the floor for a full vote, or if the House Rules Committee will combine both resolutions into one for consideration for a contempt of Congress vote.

A source familiar tells Fox News Digital a full House floor vote on whether to hold Hunter Biden in contempt could come as early as Wednesday.

House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jaime Raskin, D-Md., blasted the move, saying the committee took "unprecedented action to hold in contempt a private citizen who stands ready to provide the Committee with all the information it seeks."

Hunter Biden, ahead of his subpoenaed deposition on December 13, had offered to testify publicly. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, rejected his request, stressing that the first son would not have special treatment and pointed to the dozens of other witnesses who have appeared, as compelled, for their interviews and depositions. Comer and Jordan vowed to release the transcript of Hunter Biden’s deposition.

The first son, though, defied the subpoena, ignored the offer and delivered a public statement outside the Capitol. At the time, he said his father "was not financially involved in my business."

Comer said Wednesday that Hunter Biden "blantantly defied two lawful subpoenas."

HOUSE GOP SAYS HUNTER BIDEN ‘VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW' BY DEFYING SUBPOENA, PREPARE CONTEMPT RESOLUTION

"We will not provide Hunter Biden with special treatment because of his last name," Comer said. "All Americans must be treated equally under the law. And that includes the Bidens."

Meanwhile, the White House refused to answer questions on whether it was told in advance that Hunter Biden would attend the House Oversight's markup session on Wednesday.

She went on to refer "any further questions, any additional questions about this process" to Hunter Biden’s attorneys.

When pressed again on whether the White House was informed in advance, Jean-Pierre said, "I don’t have anything — we don’t have anything else to share beyond that."

Art dealer reveals Hunter Biden knew ‘sugar brother’ was top buyer, making WH ethics pledge a ‘sham’: Comer

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden's New York City art dealer testified Tuesday that the president's son knew his "sugar brother" lawyer was the top buyer of his paintings, contradicting the White House's previously cited ethics plan to conceal his patrons' identities.

According to the readout of a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee, Georges Bergès, who owns the Georges Bergès Art Gallery in Manhattan, revealed he never worked with the White House on such an ethics pact, and that Hunter knew who bought about 70% of his art work.

According to a July 2021 report by The Washington Post, Biden administration officials "helped craft an agreement under which purchases of Hunter Biden’s artwork — which could be listed at prices as high as $500,000 — will be kept confidential from even the artist himself, in an attempt to avoid ethical issues that could arise as a presidential family member tries to sell a product with a highly subjective value."

WATCH: NANCY MACE SHREDS HUNTER BIDEN FOR HAVING ‘NO B---S’ AFTER SURPRISE VISIT DERAILS HOUSE HEARING

The agreement was frequently cited by then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who now hosts an opinion show on liberal network MSNBC.

Of those purchases Bergès said Hunter was aware of, the most lucrative was from Kevin Morris, the Hollywood lawyer dubbed Hunter's "sugar brother" due to his financial support, help writing a book and lending a private jet to the president's son. He purchased $875,000 worth of artwork in a Jan. 2023 deal.

Bergès testified that Morris only paid 40% commission on the $875,000 purchase, and that the lawyer worked with Hunter to figure out the financial implications. He admitted to never having done an art deal like that before.

HUNTER BIDEN MAKES SHOCKING APPEARANCE AT HIS OWN CONTEMPT HEARING

Another individual he testified Hunter knew of was Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, who spent $42,000 on his art work in Feb. 2021, prior to being appointed by President Biden to the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad that July. She bought another $52,000 worth in Dec. 2022.

According to The New York Post, Naftali has denied that she purchased the art to gain the president's favor, and that "any insinuation that her purchase of art was unusual or somehow improper" was false.

Bergès' spoke to the committee as part of House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into President Biden. GOP lawmakers have accused Biden of using his status and name to enrich himself and his family.

HOUSE GOP SAYS HUNTER BIDEN ‘VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW' BY DEFYING SUBPOENA, PREPARE CONTEMPT RESOLUTION

Republican investigators have suggested they are suspicious over whether Hunter's art career, which began in recent years, has led to any conflicts of interest between wealthy buyers and the White House.

"The Biden White House appears to have deceived the American people about facilitating an ethics agreement governing the sale of Hunter Biden’s art," Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement calling the agreement a "sham."

"The vast majority of Hunter Biden’s art has been purchased by Democrat donors, one of whom was appointed by President Biden to a prestigious commission after she purchased Hunter Biden’s art for tens of thousands of dollars shortly after Joe Biden’s inauguration. The White House has a lot of explaining to do about misleading the American people," he added.

The White House's arrangement also previously took heat from a former Obama administration ethics chief, who called it a "perfect mechanism for funneling bribes."

"So instead of disclosing who is paying outrageous sums for Hunter Biden’s artwork so that we could monitor whether the purchasers are gaining access to government, the WH tried to make sure we will never know who they are," Walter Shaub wrote in a 2021 thread on X, following The Washington Post's report. "That’s very disappointing."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and Bergès for comment.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to tax charges brought by Special Counsel David Weiss

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in his initial appearance in federal court Thursday, after being charged with tax crimes out of Special Counsel David Weiss’ investigation.

The first son arrived to court to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Downtown Los Angeles Thursday ahead of the hearing set at 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. local time.

HERE'S WHAT'S IN HUNTER BIDEN'S NEW CALIFORNIA INDICTMENT

Judge Mark Scarsi presided over the proceedings. Biden was processed after the hearing by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Weiss charged Biden in December, alleging a "four-year scheme" when the president's son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports.

Weiss filed the charges in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid.

In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Hunter "engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020."

HOUSE COMMITTEES FORMALLY RECOMMEND TO HOLD HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS

Weiss said that, in "furtherance of that scheme," the younger Biden "subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company, Owasco, PC by withdrawing millions" from the company "outside of the payroll and tax withholding process that it was designed to perform."

The special counsel alleged that Hunter "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," and that in 2018, he "stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015."

Weiss alleged that Hunter "willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes," and that he "willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns on time."

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in October to federal gun charges brought by Weiss.

Hunter's defense attorney Abbe Lowell attacked Weiss over the charges last month, accusing the special counsel of "bowing to Republican pressure" when talking to the press.

"Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell said in a statement.

HUNTER BIDEN MAKES SHOCKING APPEARANCE AT HIS OWN CONTEMPT HEARING

Hunter’s court appearance in California comes a day after the House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee passed resolutions to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden, setting up a full vote on the House floor in the coming days that would recommend the first son for prosecution.

Hunter made a surprise appearance on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning, as the House Oversight Committee considered the resolution.

The House Oversight and Judiciary Committees had subpoenaed Hunter Biden to appear for a closed-door deposition, scheduled for Dec. 13, as part of the House GOP impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

Hunter Biden offered to testify publicly, but Republicans rejected the request. Oversight Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan cited the setting of other witness interviews, saying Biden would not receive special treatment. The chairmen did, however, vow to release a full transcript of his deposition, as they had for previous witnesses, and agreed to schedule a subsequent public hearing.

On Dec. 13, Hunter Biden appeared on Capitol Hill, but not for his deposition. Instead, he delivered a statement to the press, defying the subpoena.

House Oversight Committee to hold hearing on Biden admin ‘efforts to undermine’ immigration law

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing next week looking at what Republicans in the majority say are the regulatory and policymaking moves by the Biden administration that "undermine" U.S. immigration law.

The hearing, "The Biden Administration’s Regulatory and Policymaking Efforts to Undermine U.S. Immigration Law" will take place on Wednesday and will "examine how the Biden administration has engaged in a regulatory and policymaking onslaught against the rule of U.S. immigration law."

Witnesses include Joseph Edlow, who served as acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director and chief counsel during the Trump administration, and former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Thomas Homan. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill will also be a witness at the hearing.

REPUBLICANS, DEMS SPAR AT MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT HEARING AS STATE AGS DESCRIBE IMPACT OF MIGRANT CRISIS

The hearing comes as Republicans have been focused on the Biden administration’s immigration policies amid the historic and still ongoing crisis at the southern border, where numbers exceeded 300,000 encounters for the first time in December.

"The crisis at our southern border is a crisis of the Biden Administration’s own making. President Biden and his administration’s unilateral actions to unravel the rule of law have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history," Chairman James Comer said in a statement announcing the hearing.

"Cartel drug smuggling and human trafficking are surging, terrorists are exploiting the crisis, and communities are overwhelmed by illegal aliens being released by the Biden Administration," he said. "The Biden Administration refuses to reverse course and has the gall to ask for more money to throw at the problem. No amount of money can fix bad policy. It’s past time to put deterrent-focused policies in place and this hearing is a great opportunity to hear from experts what that looks like."

Republicans have clashed with Democrats and the administration over the handling of the crisis, with Republicans blaming the surge in migration on administration policies including the release of migrants into the interior and the rolling back of Trump-era enforcement like border wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy.

The administration has said it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide challenge and working within a "broken" system that needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform. It has also pointed to what it says are large numbers of removals, more than a million in FY 22 and FY 22, and more fentanyl seized in two years than the prior five years combined.

MAYORKAS TELLS BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT ‘ABOVE 85%’ OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: SOURCES

Currently, negotiations are ongoing in the Senate about potential compromises in order to pass the White House’s budget supplemental request, including $14 billion for the border. Republicans have demanded stricter limits on asylum and the use of parole to release migrants into the interior.

Meanwhile, in the House, Republicans have launched impeachment hearings against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, arguing that he has refused to enforce the laws passed by Congress. DHS has pushed back, saying the process is "harmful to the Department and its workforce and undercuts vital work across countless national security priorities."

"Unlike like those pursuing photo ops and politics, Secretary Mayorkas is working relentlessly to fix the problem by working with Republican and Democratic Senators to find common ground and real solutions," a memo the department released Thursday said.

Mayorkas also drew support from Democrats on the Committee with Ranking Member Bennie Thompson saying that Mayorkas is "doing his job across all the department’s many critical homeland security missions, including border security and immigration enforcement."

"Despite what Republicans would have Americans believe, Secretary Mayorkas is enforcing immigration law," he said.

Hunter Biden to appear in federal court for first appearance in Special Counsel Weiss tax case

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden is expected to make his initial appearance in the federal criminal case stemming from Special Counsel David Weiss’ investigation on Thursday in California.

The first son will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Downtown Los Angeles Thursday at 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. local time.

HERE'S WHAT'S IN HUNTER BIDEN'S NEW CALIFORNIA INDICTMENT

Judge Mark Scarsi will preside over the proceedings. Biden is expected to be processed after the hearing by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Weiss charged Biden in December, alleging a "four-year scheme" when the president's son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports.

Weiss filed the charges in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid.

IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: HUNTER BIDEN INDICTMENT IS A 'COMPLETE VINDICATION' OF INVESTIGATION, ALLEGATIONS

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in October to federal gun charges brought by Weiss.

Hunter's defense attorney Abbe Lowell attacked Weiss over the charges last month, accusing the special counsel of "bowing to Republican pressure" when talking to the press.

"Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell said in a statement.

HUNTER BIDEN MAKES SHOCKING APPEARANCE AT HIS OWN CONTEMPT HEARING

Hunter’s court appearance in California comes a day after he made a surprise appearance on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning, as the House Oversight Committee considered a resolution on whether to hold him in contempt of Congress.

On Dec. 13, Hunter Biden appeared on Capitol Hill, but not for his deposition. Instead, he delivered a statement to the press, defying the subpoena.

If the resolution passes, the House will hold a full vote on whether to hold the first son in contempt.

Fox News' Lee Ross contributed to this report.

Hunter crashes hearing, Austin hid prostate cancer, both hurting the president

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

It was an undeniable stunt by Hunter Biden – and it wasn’t even as effective as his last stunt.

The president’s son crashed his own House contempt hearing yesterday, sat in the front row and dramatically walked out – with all three cable news networks following him to the press mob in the hallway. His lawyer ripped the Republican-run committee for refusing to hold a public hearing, and Hunter soon slipped into a waiting SUV while mumbling only a few words to the press.

None of this was good for his father, whose White House aides are frustrated when Hunter seizes the spotlight, reviving questions about unethical business practices tied to the impeachment inquiry of the president.

TRUMP GOES TO FEDERAL IMMUNITY HEARING, SKIPPING IOWA, SEIZES MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

Just a day earlier, Lloyd Austin’s disappearing act turned into a full-fledged firestorm. We learned–not long after the White House did – that the Pentagon chief is battling prostate cancer.

The idea that nine days after he was rushed to Walter Reed, we finally found out that Austin was being treated for a serious disease, and not the "minor" elective procedure he had claimed, is mind-boggling. Of course we all wish the retired general, who is still hospitalized, a speedy recovery.

For days, Joe Biden couldn’t consult with the man overseeing America’s armed forces, didn’t even know he was in the hospital. The secretary of Defense, who is in the nuclear chain of command, was AWOL. And yet the White House coughed up a statement saying the president still has confidence in him.

All of which makes Biden look weak and unwilling to fire anyone.

The two episodes are unconnected, but they underscore how the administration often seems to lose control of events.

BIDEN TEAM COMPLAINS ABOUT TRUMP COVERAGE; THE ‘FULL HITLER’ CONFRONTATION

When Hunter Biden last made a surprise appearance, outside the Capitol, he spoke to reporters about how he was ready to testify, but not in a closed-door session. At least the public got to hear him and weigh his case.

The argument for public testimony has a certain populist appeal. But the truth is that Hill committees routinely demand private depositions, spending hours vacuuming up details, before they grant a televised hearing. And Biden could be charged with contempt of Congress on that basis alone.

When Hunter and his entourage walked in, GOP Rep. Nancy Mace demanded he be immediately jailed. When they walked about, Marjorie Taylor Greene accused him of being afraid of strong conservative women.

By the time his attorney was making his hallway comments, Hunter briskly walked toward the exit, looking like he was heading back into hiding. The novelty had worn off.

And keep in mind that Hunter is under criminal indictment. So he’s going to continue to be an albatross for his dad.

Meanwhile, bipartisan criticism continues to build over Austin’s shocking lack of candor. Pennsylvania Democrat Chris Deluzio yesterday became the first lawmaker in his party to call for the secretary’s resignation.

The prostate cancer disclosure has brought into sharp relief that Austin did something that might have gotten an ordinary soldier court-martialed for being MIA.

And one broader point: The reclusive Austin rarely talks to reporters or holds news conferences and takes only a handful of journalists on foreign trips. So how can he be an effective advocate for the military and for the commander-in-chief? Maybe it’s time for him to concentrate on healing.

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE'S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY'S HOTTEST STORIES

Footnote: Chris Christie dropped out of the presidential race yesterday, after days of insisting he would do no such thing. I thought he’d at least wait till after Iowa, since his departure will mainly help Haley in New Hampshire.

When he was preparing to run, the former New Jersey governor told me he would stay in as long as he had a shot at the nomination. But he came to be viewed as an anti-Trump spoiler, didn’t qualify for last night’s debate, and said last night he no longer had a path.

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"I would rather lose by telling the truth than lie in order to win," Christie said. He accused Republican lawmakers who endorse him of "cowardice" and "hypocrisy." And now he’s he’s folded his tent.